So what is Field Radio?

As children, many of us received walkie-talkies as a gift. Inevitably after opening the box and inserting the batteries we did one of two things:

We held the two of them together and hit the key to release that annoying, ear- piercing squeal. This was followed by an even higher pitched maternal scream and the resulting command to…

Take your radios outside.

What fun was it anyway being inside? What a thrill it was to run to the park and to hand the other rig to your friend. As you ran off in different directions, you raced to see how far you could separate and still hear each other. Finally you hit that sweet spot where you could no longer see your companion, but their voice still rang true.

Maybe the magic of radio was more apparent outside. You could visualize the open space where your signal flew through the expansive ether. Sitting in your bedroom, your imagination was thwarted by the painted ceiling and the experience seemed no more mystical than a telephone call.

As time went by, we brought our radios inside safe from the rain and cold. Snug in the corner of a room, we would sit in seclusion unbeknownst to the passing neighbor to what we did. Bringing our radios inside not only snuffed out some of the excitement, it also isolated us from sharing this great hobby with others.

If you’re a Facebook user then you’ll be pleased to know that we have a Field Radio Facebook Group. Just click on the Facebook icon in the right hand sidebar where it says “Join Our Facebook Group” and you’re good to go.

Enter Field Radio

Portable operations are not new. Their roots can be traced far before the first field days in the 1930s. Many operators worldwide practice field ops and for many it is their sole method of transmitting.

What Field Radio serves to do is to provide a forum to discuss and exchange information about portable radio operations and to share the exhilaration of operating in the field. Field operations can be HT’s in the park, a ‘To Go’ box setup on a tailgate or a QRP transceiver hiked up a hill. Seaside or in your backyard, battery or solar power, urban or countryside….it’s all Field Radio to us.

Do what you can with what you have.

Get outside. Take your radio for a hike. Relive the excitement. Then come back and tell us all about it.

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Field Radio Goals

Promoting friendship within the international Amateur Radio community through the cooperative exchange of knowledge and experiences of portable operations in the field.

We practice portable operations

We exchange knowledge & experiences of field setups

We assist and encourage new operators

We educate those unfamiliar with our craft

We respect the property we use and those responsible for maintaining it